March 26, 2020Swann NewsAfrican-American Fine Art Romare Bearden’s Letters to Art Historian Harry B. Henderson, Jr. Read more about Romare Bearden’s Letters to Art Historian Harry B. Henderson, Jr. Here we take look at letters, postcards and greeting cards from Romare Bearden to his longtime friend and collaborator Harry Henderson, as well as touch on the 2005 sale of Henderson’s art collection that made the establishment of our African-American Fine Art Department possible. Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts February 24, 2020 19th & 20th Century Literature Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Swann Galleries saw a successful sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on Thursday, February 20 with literature and autographs bringing strong numbers. Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Sarojini Naidu’s Galley Proof of ‘The Broken Wing’ February 17, 2020 Autographs Sarojini Naidu’s Galley Proof of ‘The Broken Wing’ Sarojini Naidu was an Indian writer and politician, born in Hyderabad, India in 1879. She wrote widely admired, moving, musical poetry in English, having both British and Indian subject matter,… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about The History of Books & Manuscripts at Swann Galleries October 7, 2019 Auctions 101 The History of Books & Manuscripts at Swann Galleries Bibliophiles of every denomination—Americana, autographs, art books, archives, atlases, ephemera, literature, maps—can find their niche at Swann Galleries. Originally founded in New York as a book auction house, we hold regular specialized sales devoted to books, printed material and manuscripts. Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Two Books Once Owned by Herman Melville Come to Swann September 27, 2019 Autographs Two Books Once Owned by Herman Melville Come to Swann Two volumes from Herman Melville’s personal library come to auction at Swann Galleries October 10. Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Autographs: Davy Crockett, Greta Garbo, Annie Oakley & Herman Melville—Fall 2019 August 27, 2019 Autographs Autographs: Davy Crockett, Greta Garbo, Annie Oakley & Herman Melville—Fall 2019 Signed material by artists, authors, politicians, musicians and more, including Davy Crockett, Walt Disney, Annie Oakley, Babe Ruth, Greta Garbo, Franz Liszt, George Washington. Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Herman Melville: A Bicentennial Celebration August 1, 2019 Autographs Herman Melville: A Bicentennial Celebration We celebrate the author, now recognized as one of the cornerstones of American literature, on what would have been his 200th birthday. Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs March 28, 2019 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs Auction Record for Mohawk Chief & Loyalist Joseph Brant at Swann Our Autographs sale on March 21 saw significant interest in Americana, scientists and popular figures. Of the sale Marco Tomaschett, the house’s autographs Specialist, noted: “Highest… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Diana, Princess of Wales March 12, 2019 Autographs Diana, Princess of Wales Our sale of Autographs on March 21 features an extraordinary run of material by Diana, Princess of Wales. The assortment includes a number of autograph letters signed to her friend,… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Autographs December 2, 2018 Autographs Upcoming Highlights: Autographs At Auction March 21 Complete Catalogue This spring auction brings an assortment of hard-to-find items from world leaders, writers, musicians, scientists and other notable figures. Presidential autographs include a… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs November 12, 2018 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs Letters from a Young Kurt Vonnegut Top Autographs Auction Collectors Drawn to Autographs of Innovators Our auction of Autographs on Thursday, November 8 saw major interest in notable authors… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about “Love – PFC. Kurt Vonnegut, Infantry” October 26, 2018 Autographs “Love – PFC. Kurt Vonnegut, Infantry” The highlight among literary autographs in our November 8 Autographs sale was a group of letters from Kurt Vonnegut, an American writer best known for his science-fiction infused anti-war novel Slaughterhouse-Five, to… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: Autographs October 10, 2018 Autographs A Look Inside the Catalogue: Autographs At Auction November 8 Complete Catalogue Artists, Authors & Musicians Some artists have adorned their everyday communications with illustrations or artworks, and the sale includes two interesting examples: a… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Specialists in the Field: The Magic of Handwriting July 16, 2018 Autographs Specialists in the Field: The Magic of Handwriting Marco Tomaschett at the Morgan Library For our first Specialists in the Field segment of 2018, Autographs Specialist Marco Tomaschett discusses his recent visit to The Morgan Library’s newest exhibition, The Magic… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Revolutionary & Presidential Americana from the Collection of William Wheeler IIII June 25, 2018 Autographs Records & Results: Revolutionary & Presidential Americana from the Collection of William Wheeler IIII On June 21, our auction of Revolutionary & Presidential Americana from the Collection of William Wheeler III saw a 91% sell-through rate for important autographs, letters and documents from some of… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about William Wheeler III: The Quest for American History June 11, 2018 Autographs William Wheeler III: The Quest for American History William Wheeler III’s collection of Revolutionary and Presidential Americana, coming to auction June 21, began on his 21st birthday with the gift of his three-times-great-uncle’s appointment as an Ensign to… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: The Collection of William Wheeler III April 20, 2018 Autographs A Look Inside the Catalogue: The Collection of William Wheeler III Revolutionary & Presidential Americana from the Collection of William Wheeler III At Auction June 21 Complete Catalogue William A. Wheeler III’s interest in history began in childhood, browsing at… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs March 26, 2018 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs Our auction of Autographs on March 22 offered a selection of letters, photographs and works by some of history’s greatest game-changers, with communications by founding fathers, letters from artists and… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Charles Dickens Reveals His Inspiration March 19, 2018 Autographs Charles Dickens Reveals His Inspiration A very formal letter by Charles Dickens to Lord Robert Grosvenor was a highlight of our March 22 auction of Autographs. The letter, dated July 9, 1838, was… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: Autographs January 15, 2018 Autographs A Look Inside the Catalogue: Autographs Gracing this March 22 sale is a poem completed by Walt Whitman on his deathbed, transcribed by a secretary and signed, with holograph edits. It was his last poem, entitled A… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs November 9, 2017 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs Our auction on November 7 saw fine results for Autographs by important historical figures in a variety of fields, from government to science to music. The total of $662K exceeded the… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about The Jimmy Van Heusen Collection of Musical Autographs November 3, 2017 Autographs The Jimmy Van Heusen Collection of Musical Autographs Our November 7 auction of Autographs is especially noteworthy for a collection of musical autographs from the estate of Jimmy Van Heusen. Jimmy Van Heusen was an American… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs May 9, 2017 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs On Thursday, May 4, we held an auction of Autographs, with twentieth-century highlights by authors taking the spotlight. The sale performed well overall, with 88% of items offered finding buyers. … Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Thomas Hart Benton Links Pollock and Rubens May 3, 2017 Autographs Thomas Hart Benton Links Pollock and Rubens In 1926, Thomas Hart Benton was a teacher at the Art Students League of New York. Disappointed by the lack of a painting manual, he set about writing his own.… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Dearest Marlene: Letters & Photos from the Collection of Marlene Dietrich May 1, 2017 Autographs Dearest Marlene: Letters & Photos from the Collection of Marlene Dietrich Swann is honored to commemorate the legacy of Marlene Dietrich by offering for the first time select items that have touched her life and that of her family. Our May… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs November 11, 2016 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs On November 1, a mere nine days before the American Presidential election, we offered an autograph album signed by 18 presidents, starting with Abraham Lincoln and ending with Barack Obama.… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Presidents and Press October 28, 2016 Autographs Presidents and Press The following post was written by Autographs Specialist Marco Tomaschett. The often troubled meetings between the press and presidential candidates—much discussed as we approach Election Day, 2016—have a long history in… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Over a Century of Presidents on a Single Page October 14, 2016 Autographs Over a Century of Presidents on a Single Page Enjoy this video of Swann Galleries’ Autographs Specialist, Marco Tomaschett describing a Civil War-era autograph album full of presidents in our Autographs sale on November 1. The album contains… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Two Items Related to Anne Frank Come to Auction at Swann in May May 4, 2016 19th & 20th Century Literature Two Items Related to Anne Frank Come to Auction at Swann in May Through her poignant writing and tragic story, Anne Frank has become a source of inspiration for millions. Two of our upcoming auctions feature items related to Frank, including Anne and Margot’s… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Books Every Book Collector Should Read April 29, 2016 19th & 20th Century Literature Books Every Book Collector Should Read Our upcoming Autographs auction features an uncommon Oscar Wilde manuscript consisting of five and a half pages of his notes for a review in which he pans a book on… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Forgeries in Politics April 27, 2016 Autographs Forgeries in Politics Ballot-box stuffing may be one of the most frequently alleged forms of fraud during any given election season, but there are other sorts of interesting political fraud. Putting aside the… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs November 3, 2015 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs Our October 22 auction of Autographs had a strong sell-through rate of 81%, and many of the top lots sold well surpassed their high estimates. Swann Galleries’ Autographs Specialist Marco… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Autographs and Personal Correspondence: Influential People Showing Respect for Those Who Influenced Them October 20, 2015 Autographs Autographs and Personal Correspondence: Influential People Showing Respect for Those Who Influenced Them Oftentimes the things we sign are incredibly personal items, letters, cards, even brief notes to a friend or loved one. Tie that sliver of correspondence to an influential figure and… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about The Little “F” in Freud’s Signature October 15, 2015 Autographs The Little “F” in Freud’s Signature The piece below was written by Autographs Specialist Marco Tomaschett. Autograph collectors all encounter it at one time or another: the perfectly illegible autograph. The impossible convulsive scrawl of… Share Facebook Twitter
March 26, 2015 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs Strong bidding resulted in a 94% sell-through rate of our recent Autographs auction, with 209 sold lots out of the 222 lots offered. The sale’s top lot was a five-page… Share Facebook Twitter
March 10, 2015 Autographs An Exceptional Autograph Album That Was Made to Be Sold One item in our upcoming auction is an album of autographs compiled to be sold for charity. During the American Civil War, and especially in the years 1863-64, civilians in… Share Facebook Twitter
February 24, 2015 Autographs Charles Stewart Parnell’s Appeal to the Irish People of America In advance of our March 19 Autographs auction, specialist Marco Tomaschett contributed this blog post about Charles Stewart Parnell. Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891) founded the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) in… Share Facebook Twitter
Read more about Marco Tomaschett: Snippets of History May 12, 2014 Autographs Marco Tomaschett: Snippets of History Marco Tomaschett, Swann Galleries’ Autographs specialist, wrote this piece about clipped autographs, which appeared in Antiques & Auction News last week. Here is his piece in its entirety: Since there are few… Share Facebook Twitter
November 25, 2013 Autographs Blinded by Science: Letters from the Greatest Minds in Physics Swann’s November 26 Autographs auction offers letters from some of the greatest minds in 20th-century physics written to mathematician and theoretical physicist Paul Hertz. Hertz (1881-1940), a relation of the better-known Heinrich… Share Facebook Twitter
November 15, 2013 Autographs Music to Our Ears: Classical Musician Autographs at Swann Nov. 26 Swann Galleries’ November 26 auction of Autographs offers an exceptional collection of musician autographs – the likes of which are rarely seen at auction. The top estimate in the sale… Share Facebook Twitter
November 11, 2013 Autographs The Mystery of Music What is it about music that gives it such universal appeal? Just as a flickering flame has captivated humans and other animals since our beginnings, music draws our attention and… Share Facebook Twitter
May 10, 2013 Autographs Ulysses S. Grant: The Early Years A 1855-65 portrait of Grant. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Ulysses S. Grant, a man whose persistence brought him to the highest offices in U.S. military and politics, had a surprising early… Share Facebook Twitter
November 27, 2012 Autographs A Postcard from Pablo Picasso in our Autographs Auction Our upcoming Autographs auction features numerous signatures from founding fathers, presidents, scientists, inventors, writers and musicians. Among the material in the sale related to artists is a timely postcard for… Share Facebook Twitter
April 19, 2012 Autographs Top Lots: Revolutionary Americana & Autographs Tuesday’s sale of Revolutionary Americana from the Allyn Kellogg Ford Collection, followed by a sale of Autographs, broke over 15 auction records, and doubled the low estimate for the sale as… Share Facebook Twitter
October 28, 2011 Autographs A Freudian Slip of Paper: 1933 Analysis Bill Comes to Auction Despite the waning influence of his work in contemporary psychology, Sigmund Freud’s ideas, personality, and image continue to attract admirers. Freud’s importance to western culture is demonstrated by the… Share Facebook Twitter
April 14, 2011 Autographs President Reagan: No More Mr. Nice Guy A pair of letters written by President Ronald Reagan to his daughter, Patti Davis, and to anti-nuclear activist Helen Caldicott, come to auction on April 21st. The letters are written… Share Facebook Twitter
April 12, 2011 Autographs Keith Haring Excuses Angel Ortiz From Class Keith Haring and Angel Ortiz, Autograph letter signed by Haring and photograph postcard signed by both, 1983. Estimate: $700 to $1,000. If a doctor’s note doesn’t suffice as a… Share Facebook Twitter
April 7, 2011 Autographs Diego Rivera’s Interpretation of His Detroit Industry Murals Left: Diego Rivera, Autograph manuscript dated and signed, draft of an untitled essay concerning the freso paintings completed at the Detroit Institute of Arts, April 1933. Estimate: $6,000 to $9,000.… Share Facebook Twitter
November 3, 2010 Autographs Zachary Taylor’s Letters at Swann Five lots in tomorrow’s Autographs sale contain letters related to our 12th president, the military leader and Whig, Zachary Taylor. They were written during the period between his victory at… Share Facebook Twitter
October 14, 2009 Autographs A Brilliant Lot: Letter Signed by Thomas Edison Swann Galleries will be offering illuminating material related to scientists and inventors in its auction of Autographs on October 29. Among the many highlights is a Letter Signed by Thomas… Share Facebook Twitter